Pages: 109-124

The object of study in this article were the coins of Athens and their imitations, issued during the first war of Rome with Mithridates VI Eupator Dionysius. We described all of their series and clarified the circumstances of their appearance in circulation. We believe that both the authorities of the Athens, and the Romans then issued the same type of coin. Only the coins of the Roman mint had quaestor M. Licinius Lucullus’s monograms in the so-called “lucuilla”, rather than lengthy legends with the names of the monetary magistrates. And it is not surprising. The coins of the Athens were the international currency then. Given these facts, we concluded that Archelaus had no reason to mint the Pontic coin in the Athens. And, finally, the appearance in circulation of an imitation of Athenian coins with the legend “ΑΘΕ/Ο/ΔΕΜΟ/Σ” was explained. We believe that they were minted in Asia Minor on behalf of the Athenians who left the city after its occupation by L. Cornelius Sulla. The traditionality of the design of these coins testifies to the correctness of our conclusions.

Keywords: Athens, Bosporus, history, Pontic period, numismatics, monograms

Information about author:

Michael Choref (Nizhnevartovsk, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Nizhnevartovsk State University. Lenin St., 56, Nizhnevartovsk, 628602, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District — Yugra, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]